North Korea preparing for missile test

Satellite reconnaissance images indicate that North Korea is once again preparing to ignore international pressure and test-fire a missile.

The Sohae Satellite Launch Station in Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, North KoreaPhoto: Digital Globe/AP

By Julian Ryall in Tokyo

6:15AM GMT 30 Nov 2012

Analysis of pictures by the U-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University suggests that the North could be ready to launch the rocket as early as December 6, although it is believed that the regime may wait until mid-December before attempting a launch.

December 17 marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il, the father of present leader Kim Jong-un, while any launch close to South Korea's presidential election on December 19 could serve as a propaganda coup.

It would also highlight the failure of Seoul's own rocket programme. On Thursday, South Korea aborted the launch of the domestically developed Naro-1 rocket due to a fault. No new date has been set for a third attempt to get the rocket off the ground.

Basing its conclusions on images provided by commercial earth-imagery company DigitalGlobe Inc., the US-Korea Institute said trailers carrying the first two stages of an Unha rocket are visible near the main missile assembly building at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station on the west coast of North Korea.

The preparations are "a clear indicator that the rocket stages are being checked out before moving to the pad for an eventual launch," it said.

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Other indicators that a launch is imminent are the presence of empty fuel tanks used to bring in propellant for the rocket, increased activity at a facility for VIPs and the construction of temporary covered structures.

In Washington, the UN Security Council that overseas sanctions on North Korea has warned the regime against carrying out another ballistic missile test launch.

Pyongyang is unlikely to heed that advice, however, and is expected to again claim that the launch is merely another peaceful attempt to put a satellite into orbit.

The last effort to launch a rocket ended in failure on April 13 when the vehicle suffered a separation failure and fell into the sea off the west coast of South Korea around 90 seconds after its launch.